Take the Money and Run: ABC Unscripted Series; Cancel or Season Two?

Published: August 31, 2011

The alphabet network recently debuted a new alternative TV series called Take the Money and Run. Interestingly, it has the same title as a 1969 Woody Allen comedy film. That movie was a hit with critics and viewers. Has the ABC show received a similar reception?

On Take the Money and Run, two participants are given a briefcase filled with $100,000 and one hour to hide it. At the end of that time, the contestants are taken into custody and questioned by a team of investigators. They work with a pair of detectives who are given GPS recordings of the route that the contestants took, as well as their phone records. If the detectives can locate the suitcase within 48 hours, they get to split the money. If not, the contestants keep the prize.

The reality series debuted on August 2nd with a 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.28 million viewers. It was third in its timeslot, ranking well behind America’s Got Talent on NBC and FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen.

The second installment kept most of its premiere audience, falling just 5% in the demo. Week three saw the demo rating fall 22% to a 1.4 with 3.63 million viewers. The fourth episode popped back up 14% and last night’s fell back down again. The first season has averaged a 1.6 rating and 4.34 million viewers.

Take the Money and Run’s freshman run concludes next week and it doesn’t seem likely that ABC will renew it for a second season. ABC has been running eight different “alternative” series this summer and this one ranks sixth, beating only Expedition: Impossible and Friday night’s Karaoke Battle USA. Still, it is relatively inexpensive to produce so you never know. After all, this reality show is easily beating Rookie Blue and Combat Hospital.

What do you think? Is Take the Money and Run worth watching? Should it be renewed for a second season or just cancelled?

My wife and I really enjoyed the show and it was rather interesting to see if the contestants or the detectives were going to win the money. I think what you should have done instead of the detectives being able to keep the money they should have to donate a majority of the money to a charity. I would be willing to be a contestant on the show if it is brought back. We really enjoyed watching the detectives go and activly search for the money. Please bring it back. Don’t be a bunch of stuffed shirts about the ratings if you bring it back and.give the public a chance it might do better the second time around.